Catch mail-pouch



(No Model.)

A. P. HAUSS. CATCH MAIL POUCH.

Patented Oct.. 22, 1895.

HT U1 UNITED STATES PATENT OrErcE.

AUGUSTUS P. HAUSS, OF NEW ALBANY, INDIANA.

CATCH MAIL-POUCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,363, dated October 22, 1895.

Application Sled February l, 1895. Serial No. 536,999. (No model.l

To @ZZ whom it 11mg/ concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS P. HAUss, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Albany, in the county of Floyd and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Catcher Mail-Pouches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art' to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specilication.

This invention consists in new and valuable improvements in mail-pouches, which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The objects of my invention, which are accomplished by the means hereinafter specitied, are to greatly increase the durability of the regulation mail-pouch and to fasten the rings on the same so that they will not be constantly pulling or tearing out, as is noW the case, which at present causes the pouches to be constantly sent to the repair-shops, which keeps a large percentage of the pouches out of service, and which necessitates a larger number of pouches to meet the demands of the service. These and the other features of my invention will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which the same numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views, Figure l is a side elevation of a mailpouch embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of one of the reinforcing-straps; Fig. 4, a sectional view on line .fr xof Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view of the bottom of the pouch, showing the bolt-hook and ring in full lines. Fig. 6 is a detail View of the plates and hook separated. Fig. 7 illustrates in detail the ring-fastener at the mouth of the pouch. Fig. 8 illustrates in detail the tyingcord and its clasp for the middle of the pouch.

Referring to the several parts by their designating numerals, l indicates the pouch, being formed of duck of the regulation size and having a bottom of either duck or leather. I provide each pouch with two wide reinforcingstraps, preferably of leather, one 0f which is shown in detail in Fig. 3, these straps being one on the outside and the other on the inside of the pouch, registering with each other. Each reinforcing-strap 2 is formed with a central oval enlargement 3, which ts at the middle of the pouch bottom, as shown, the strap then running up the pouch on each side to the mouth of the same, where it is formed with the enlarged or T-sha-ped extremities 4. The two straps are secured one on the outside and one on the inside of a pouch, eX- actly registering with each other in position, and are secured by a series of rivets 5, placed every four or tive inches.

6 and 7 indicate an outer and an inner metal plate corresponding in form, which, after the straps 2 2 are in position, are secured centrally to the bottom of the pouch, as shown, one on the outside and the other registering with it on the inside of the bottom, the two plates having rivet-holes S near their ends, by means of which they are secured by rivets passing through the outer plate, the outer strap 2, the pouch bottom, the inner strap, and the inner plate, as shown in the sectional View, Fig. 5. The plates are formed between their end rivet-openings with the two openings 9 lO, those of the outer plate registering with those of the inner plate, 9 being the seat-opening for the stem and l0 the socket-opening for the hook end of the boit-hook.

The ordinary suspending-ring ll is secured to the bottom of the pouch by the bolt-hook 12, the threaded stem and the hook end of which pass through the outer-plate openings, the outer strap, the pouch bottom, and the inner strap, which are formed with holes registering with those of the plates, and then through the inner plate, the bolthook being held in this position either by a Wing-nut 13 on its threaded stem or by a split key passing through its stem.

The mouth of the pouch, which is closed by any of the usual fastenings, has its suspension-ring secured to it by the eye-strap 14, formed of a single metal piece doubled upon itself and having an eye forged at its center, the lapping ends of the strap being formedk IOO with registering apertures 15, the flat meetfing strap ends being inserted under the end of the strap 2, where they are secured either permanently by riveting, but preferably, Vas shown in Fig. Ll, by means of bolts 16, having wing-nuts 17, or split keys may be used in place of the nuts.

It will be seen that by securing the eyestrap le removably, and by the peculiar construction of the fastening at the bottom of the pouch, the removable bolt-hook, should a ring break under the sudden strains to which they are subjected it can be replaced by any one, thus doing away with all necessity for sending the pouches to the repairshop, which is now necessary when a ring breaks or tears out, as by loosening the wingnuts of the bolt-hook or eye-strap bolts these two parts can be instantly slipped out and a new ring or rings placed in position and again secured; also, it will be seen that the bolthook held in the reinforcing-straps and the metal plates 6 7 does away with all danger of the ring tearing out, which now frequently happens, the metal plates rendering it impos sible for the hook to tear out. In like manner the metal eye-strap 14 holds the ring at the mouth securely and prevents its tearing out.

The leatherreinforcing-straps, running the full length of the pouch and passing around its bottom on both the inside and outside and riveted together, add greatly to the strength, durability, and length of wear or lifetime of the regulation mail-pouch, as will be readily seen.

The center of the pouch is provided with an exterior cord 18, about one-eighth of an inch thick, the ends of which pass through two small holes 19 in a slip-plate 20, their extremities being knotted to prevent their slipping out of said plate. This cord takes the place of the usual strap used to draw up and reduce the size of the center of a mail-pouch when it is to be taken on a train or delivered from the same by a mail-bag receiver and deliverer, and its advantage is that it can be drawn up and tied either with 0r without the same fastening used on tie mail-bags in less time than the strap commonly used can be manipulated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. A mail pouch having inner and outer plates secured to its bott-om, said plates having coincident holes Ior openings designed to register with similar holes or openings in the bottom of said pouch, a bolt hook passed through said holes or openings, a ring removably held by said bolt hook, means for reA movably securing said bolt hook in place, and inner and outer reinforcing straps extending from the bottom of said pouch on each side to the mouth thereof, substantially as set forth.

2. A mail pouch having inner and outer plates secured to its bottom, said plates having coincident holes or openings designed 'to register with `similar holes or openings in the bottom of said pouch, a kbolt hook passed through said holes or openings and having one of its members screw threaded, a ring re movably held by said bolt-hook, a threaded Wingnut Workingfon said threaded member, and reinforcing straps extending from the bottom of said pouch on each side to the mouth thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with a mail pouch of the outer and inner metal plates attached to the bottom thereof and having the registering openings forming a seat opening and a socket opening contiguous to the seat, a bolt hook adapted to have longitudinal movement in the said seat to disengage its hooked end from the socket-opening, means to retain the bolt in place and the hook thereof in the socketopening, and a ring removably held iu the hooked end of the bolt, substantially as described.

4c. An improved mail pouch comprising a pouch having a suitable fastening at its mouth, the wide outer and inner opposite straps secured thereto and extending from the mouth of the pouch along one side to its bottom,across the bottom, and along the other side to its mouth, the metal plates secured on the outside and inside of the bottom and formed with the registering openings, the bolt hook movably secured in said openings and a ring removably held in the hooked end of the bolt, the eye-strap secured at the mouthend of the pouch and a ring removably held in its eye; substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUSTUS P. HAUSS. Witnesses:

MAsTEN L. CLEMENTS, THOMAS P. BYRN.

IOS 

